Comments on: A Walk Around the Block http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/ Neil Kramer is a writer in Los Angeles. Citizen of the Month is his blog. Make yourself at home. Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:31:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Citizen of the Month » Blogmatcher, Blogmatcher http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-98455 Citizen of the Month » Blogmatcher, Blogmatcher Thu, 28 Sep 2006 17:02:44 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-98455 [...] A Year Ago on Citizen of the Month:  A Walk Around the Block [...] [...] A Year Ago on Citizen of the Month:  A Walk Around the Block [...]

]]> By: sunnystate http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13830 sunnystate Sun, 09 Oct 2005 13:29:49 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13830 I know you are busy in Albuquerque right now but.... I just read a NYT review of Joan Didion's new memoir, "A Year of Magical Thinking," about the year her husband and daughter passed away suddenly. It's very provocative and moving. If you're interested, here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2005/10/09/books/index.html?8dpc I know you are busy in Albuquerque right now but…. I just read a NYT review of Joan Didion’s new memoir, “A Year of Magical Thinking,” about the year her husband and daughter passed away suddenly. It’s very provocative and moving. If you’re interested, here’s the link: http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2005/10/09/books/index.html?8dpc

]]> By: Miriam http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13695 Miriam Thu, 06 Oct 2005 23:44:08 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13695 Neil: We sat shiva for my mother a number of years ago, but I don't remember walking around the block. I remember how long it went on...and the people who came who had known my mother all her life and told us funny stories about her. That actually made me feel better, although for a while I thought I could not bear a world without her in it. The cards and letters made us feel better, too. Not that you're not sad, but it seems that each person that comes or writes takes away a few drops of your sorrow. I'm not putting this very well. For a long time, I felt utterly bereft and lost. I found that by saying the Sh'ma every night, I could bear it a little bit better. Now, when I think of her, I am accepting of her loss. She had her faults, but was a great, courageous woman. It made me feel better that so many people whose lives she had affected wrote and called. Neil: We sat shiva for my mother a number of years ago, but I don’t remember walking around the block. I remember how long it went on…and the people who came who had known my mother all her life and told us funny stories about her. That actually made me feel better, although for a while I thought I could not bear a world without her in it.
The cards and letters made us feel better, too. Not that you’re not sad, but it seems that each person that comes or writes takes away a few drops of your sorrow. I’m not putting this very well.

For a long time, I felt utterly bereft and lost. I found that by saying the Sh’ma every night, I could bear it a little bit better.

Now, when I think of her, I am accepting of her loss. She had her faults, but was a great, courageous woman. It made me feel better that so many people whose lives she had affected wrote and called.

]]> By: Introspectre http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13470 Introspectre Mon, 03 Oct 2005 13:03:41 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13470 Kisses, Neil. The wind has many things to say, as does your father. Kisses, Neil.

The wind has many things to say, as does your father.

]]> By: sunshine http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13395 sunshine Sun, 02 Oct 2005 14:01:42 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13395 What a beautiful reflection. You've really captured the surreal quality of those strange, funny, weird and sad first few days after losing a loved one. I was really moved by your words. The wind does have a way of suggesting things and raising questions. I remember the night my mother died, I was lying in bed for a quick nap at one point (she had cancer and my sister and I were working in shifts to look after her). I remember the window was open and the curtains were floating just over my head. As I passed out from exhaustion, I had an intense feeling that my mom's spirit was leaving her body and washing over me -- it was the feeling of the breeze on my skin. I really believed that at the moment. I still wonder about it all these years later. Anyway, I'm glad some semblance of normalcy is coming back into your life. You've been through a lot. Please know that you're still in a lot of our thoughts and prayers out here in the blogging community. What a beautiful reflection. You’ve really captured the surreal quality of those strange, funny, weird and sad first few days after losing a loved one. I was really moved by your words.

The wind does have a way of suggesting things and raising questions. I remember the night my mother died, I was lying in bed for a quick nap at one point (she had cancer and my sister and I were working in shifts to look after her). I remember the window was open and the curtains were floating just over my head. As I passed out from exhaustion, I had an intense feeling that my mom’s spirit was leaving her body and washing over me — it was the feeling of the breeze on my skin. I really believed that at the moment. I still wonder about it all these years later.

Anyway, I’m glad some semblance of normalcy is coming back into your life. You’ve been through a lot. Please know that you’re still in a lot of our thoughts and prayers out here in the blogging community.

]]> By: Bill http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13371 Bill Sun, 02 Oct 2005 06:31:54 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13371 For obvious reasons there has been a more sober tone in this blog recently and so I hope I don’t embark on a tangent that might be considered inappropriate but … I couldn’t help but notice the “nice ass” phrase. It set me off an a series of associations and questions that simply would not be stopped or resolved! On my blogs, one of the search terms that keeps showing up is “best ass in Hollywood.” They find me because some years back I wrote a <a href="http://www.piddleville.com/2002/03/allow-me-to-be-as-superficial-as-all.html" rel="nofollow">brief post</a> with an even briefer mention regarding Helen Hunt’s behind. I don’t know why, but for some reason at that time I thought Helen Hunt had a great ass. And you know something, she probably did … and does! Anyway … what is it about bums that are so appealing? Let’s be honest. Other than shit, bums don’t do a heck of lot. Yet we find them so appealing! And why is a phrase like “great ass” not nearly as enticing or funny as “big bum”? When I was a kid I laughed myself sick whenever someone said “bum.” And if they said “big bum?” Well, forget it! I was useless for days! What’s the story with bums? Neil, if you feel you’re up for it, I think this is an issue worthy of investigation. Why is the human beast, male and female, so taken by the rump? Apple tight or jello jiggly, we are enamoured by the bottom. Why, why, why??? For obvious reasons there has been a more sober tone in this blog recently and so I hope I don’t embark on a tangent that might be considered inappropriate but …

I couldn’t help but notice the “nice ass” phrase. It set me off an a series of associations and questions that simply would not be stopped or resolved!

On my blogs, one of the search terms that keeps showing up is “best ass in Hollywood.” They find me because some years back I wrote a brief post with an even briefer mention regarding Helen Hunt’s behind.

I don’t know why, but for some reason at that time I thought Helen Hunt had a great ass. And you know something, she probably did … and does!

Anyway … what is it about bums that are so appealing? Let’s be honest. Other than shit, bums don’t do a heck of lot. Yet we find them so appealing!

And why is a phrase like “great ass” not nearly as enticing or funny as “big bum”? When I was a kid I laughed myself sick whenever someone said “bum.” And if they said “big bum?” Well, forget it! I was useless for days!

What’s the story with bums? Neil, if you feel you’re up for it, I think this is an issue worthy of investigation. Why is the human beast, male and female, so taken by the rump? Apple tight or jello jiggly, we are enamoured by the bottom. Why, why, why???

]]> By: ms. sizzle http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13331 ms. sizzle Sat, 01 Oct 2005 17:57:23 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13331 If you can notice a nice ass, things are indeed on their way back...and your Dad will be there with you, always in spirit. If you can notice a nice ass, things are indeed on their way back…and your Dad will be there with you, always in spirit.

]]> By: anne arkham http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13329 anne arkham Sat, 01 Oct 2005 16:37:11 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13329 Your recent comments plugin is showing an equal mix of sympathy on your shiva posts,and profanity-laced rants on, like, Too Skinny. Thngs must be getting back to normal. Your recent comments plugin is showing an equal mix of sympathy on your shiva posts,and profanity-laced rants on, like, Too Skinny. Thngs must be getting back to normal.

]]> By: boxen http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13295 boxen Sat, 01 Oct 2005 07:29:43 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13295 : ) : )

]]> By: Neil http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13292 Neil Fri, 30 Sep 2005 20:58:01 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/09/29/a-walk-around-the-block/#comment-13292 JJ -- Please. JJ — Please.

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